Dance as Dharma

 

Dance as Dharma: A Deeper Explanation

1. Nāṭya as Yajña (Sacred Offering)

In the Nāṭyaśāstra, Bharata Muni states that the gods requested the creation of Nāṭya (dramatic performance including dance, music, and theatre) as a fifth Veda—a form accessible to all varṇas (castes), combining elements from the four original Vedas:

• Rig Veda – recitation and text

• Sāma Veda – music

• Yajur Veda – ritual and gesture

• Atharva Veda – emotion and psychological insight

Thus, Nāṭya was not merely for amusement. It was created as a ritual tool, capable of instructing, uplifting, and purifying society. Bharata explicitly refers to it as a yajña—a sacred act of offering, comparable to fire rituals (homa) performed in Vedic tradition. The stage becomes an altar, the dancer a priest or priestess, and the performance a sacred invocation.

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2. Rasa and Bhava: Transmission of Emotional and Spiritual Truth

According to the Nāṭyaśāstra, the goal of dance and performance is to evoke rasa—a refined aesthetic-emotional experience in the viewer. This is done through bhava—the inner emotional states expressed by the performer through movement, gesture (mudra), facial expression (abhinaya), and rhythm (laya).

The rasas (such as śṛṅgāra—love, karuṇa—compassion, vīra—heroism, bhayānaka—fear) are not just feelings—they are spiritual gateways, intended to:

• Awaken higher awareness

• Cultivate emotional intelligence

• Detach the audience from mundane reality and guide them toward spiritual insight (jñāna)

In this framework, the performer serves not just as an artist, but as a conduit for universal experience, transmitting truth through embodied form.

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3. Dance as Sādhanā and Mokṣa Mārga

When practiced with full dedication, dance becomes a form of sādhanā—a disciplined spiritual path. Classical Indian dance traditions, including Odissi, follow strict training regimes, moral guidelines, devotional focus (bhakti), and surrender (śaraṇāgati) that mirror ascetic and yogic disciplines.

In this context:

• The body becomes a sacred instrument.

• The guru-shiṣya relationship mirrors spiritual initiation.

• Each performance becomes an offering to the divine (e.g., Jagannātha in Odissi).

The Yogasutras of Patañjali describe eight limbs of yoga; similarly, Bharata outlines multiple components of performance that require control over body, mind, and breath. Mastery of these elements leads to inner transformation.

For a dancer, liberation (mokṣa) does not only come through meditation or renunciation—it may come through complete absorption (samādhi) in the act of sacred performance. This is reflected in the bhakti traditions where devotional singing, dancing, and art are themselves paths to union with the divine.

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Conclusion:

In the classical Indian worldview, dance is dharma when it is:

• Rooted in the scriptural tradition (śāstra-based)

• Offered with devotional intent

• Practiced as a discipline (tapas)

• Oriented toward self-transcendence and service to others

Thus, performing Odissi is not merely cultural or aesthetic. When approached with purity of heart and depth of purpose, it becomes a yajña, a form of inner worship, and a legitimate path to liberation.